Pompana Beach High School teacher receives award

Julia Perlowski, a teacher at Pompana Beach High School has been named Arts Teacher of the year by the Cultural Foundation of Broward. Ms. Perlowski teaches drama, English and reading and is being lauded as an exemplary teacher.

Among the innovations that she has brought to the school, Ms. Perlowski created a Shakespeare Program and mentored the Teen Trendsetter Reading Program. In addition, up to 83 percent of her students pass the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). She is now the school’s Director of Theater Programs.

It is important that teachers be recognized for the job they do in enabling students to know their own minds and be aware of all the possibilities that their lives hold. When many school districts are turning their back on the arts and those programs are the first to be cut when money is tight, it is a relief that Broward County still understands the importance of an art education.

While there are many awards given to teachers for a job well done, many other businesses award their employees in similar ways. We have all seen the “Employee of the Month” signs up in restaurants and stores. Many who work in an office don’t always feel that their job is recognized. It would be an easy thing for any business owner to arrange with a local printing company to create a certificate to award to those employees who are doing a good job. Such an award can only encourage those employees to keep on doing what they are doing for the company.